UN
United Nations Peacekeeping
9 Mar
2009
Press Review 18 March 2005
Today's local papers mainly focus on the adoption of the draft constitution by senators.
« The draft constitution was adopted by the majority of the senators yesterday, say over sixty versus twenty abstentions. 217 articles were adopted of the (220) articles contained in the draft constitution, the remaining were referred to the senate's office», Le Potentiel says, adding that «the minimum age for the next president was finally set at 45, with a dispensation in favour of all those having already assumed the office of President, Vice-President, Minister or Heads of both chambers of parliament». Le Potentiel concludes, «the current DRC President, Joseph Kabila, aged 33 and the four Vice-Presidents are therefore allowed to run up for the presidency». This view is shared by L'Avenir which thinks that having adopted the draft constitution, « the Senate has opened wide the door to Joseph Kabila, Azarias Ruberwa and Jean Pierre Bemba to run up for the president's office». La Tempête des Tropiques just writes, « Elections: the Senate has accommodated the belligerents». Le Phare, for its part, says, « The Senate has produced a tailored made constitution». Le Palmarès expresses almost the same views « constitution: The Senate has opted for a scandal by approving that President's age». The paper says, « the basic law has been personalised» and notes, « it is up to the National Assembly to block the impostures».
Still in relation to the DRC political transition, « Washington has called into question the 1+4 architecture», Le Potentiel writes on its front page. The paper quotes 'Les dépêches' of Brazzaville as indicating that, for the Americans, « Transition must not overrun the 24 months. One must take into consideration the street, the political and social forces opposed to the transition. The Department of State did not want to comment the fact that the current leaders have failed». The approach, according to Le Potentiel, is different from the Belgians. « Belgium apparently trusts the current Congolese leadership and believes they can meet the security preconditions for credible elections in December 2005», the paper says.
President Joseph Kabila's Asian tour is still commented by the press. On this issue, La Tempête des Tropiques says, « Congolese living in Japan are disputing over the Asian visit of Joseph Kabila ». In the meantime, « Joseph Kabila has signed an agreement with South Korea on a development project», L'Avenir writes, indicating, « the agreement reached concerns the development of mining production in general and cobalt in particular».
With respect to MONUC's chief activities, L'Avenir announces on its front page « William Swing again in New York ». Echoing the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General's statement at the end of his audience with the Congolese minister of Justice, the paper writes, «he was invited to brief the Security Council on the DRC situation within the framework of the 17th report by the United Nations Secretary-General on the DRC situation». The paper also says, «the UN Mission's boss in DRC will hold talks with ambassadors of the 51 troop-contributing States to MONUC, including the ambassadors of the permanent member countries of the security council as well as other personalities or authorities.»
Still in relation to the DRC political transition, « Washington has called into question the 1+4 architecture», Le Potentiel writes on its front page. The paper quotes 'Les dépêches' of Brazzaville as indicating that, for the Americans, « Transition must not overrun the 24 months. One must take into consideration the street, the political and social forces opposed to the transition. The Department of State did not want to comment the fact that the current leaders have failed». The approach, according to Le Potentiel, is different from the Belgians. « Belgium apparently trusts the current Congolese leadership and believes they can meet the security preconditions for credible elections in December 2005», the paper says.
President Joseph Kabila's Asian tour is still commented by the press. On this issue, La Tempête des Tropiques says, « Congolese living in Japan are disputing over the Asian visit of Joseph Kabila ». In the meantime, « Joseph Kabila has signed an agreement with South Korea on a development project», L'Avenir writes, indicating, « the agreement reached concerns the development of mining production in general and cobalt in particular».
With respect to MONUC's chief activities, L'Avenir announces on its front page « William Swing again in New York ». Echoing the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General's statement at the end of his audience with the Congolese minister of Justice, the paper writes, «he was invited to brief the Security Council on the DRC situation within the framework of the 17th report by the United Nations Secretary-General on the DRC situation». The paper also says, «the UN Mission's boss in DRC will hold talks with ambassadors of the 51 troop-contributing States to MONUC, including the ambassadors of the permanent member countries of the security council as well as other personalities or authorities.»
